Subject: Cooked cowbirds
Date: Aug 30 02:34:06 1997
From: "CHRISTINE W. MAACK" - 73201.3124 at compuserve.com


Maureen, thanks for posting that caveat about Smith's
work. Scary.

I'm trying to imagine lowering and raising oropendola
nests from their nest tree at night and it would be a
helluva feat. Maybe with a long-handled pruning snipper
you could cut one down (but what would prevent it
crashing down?), but then how would you re-attach
it - duct tape? Improbable to say the least.

There must be another side to the story, I hope.

>Dear Friends,
While the reported studies concerning cowbird parasitism advantages may
seem logical and neat, please be aware that the supporting data may have
been "cooked." Yes, the validity of the Nature article is questionable.
>

Chris Maack
Anchorage, AK
CMaack at compuserve.com